Iran - Andrew Burke [48]
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POTTERY
Pottery is one of the oldest Persian art forms and examples have been unearthed from burial mounds dating from the 5th millennium BC. Early pieces were probably ornamental rather than for domestic use, with elaborately detailed animals dominating the design. Persian pottery was initially unglazed, but glazed pottery dating back to the Elamite period has been unearthed from Choqa Zanbil. In the 1st millennium AD, pottery was painted with the simple geometric, floral and animal motifs that developed into the characteristic Persian style. The lotus flower (niloofar in Farsi) featured heavily as a symbol of life and of women.
From the 9th century onwards, Persia’s detailed and colourful (mainly blue and green) glazed pottery became world famous. The nomads of northeastern Khorasan province had by then created their own style of glazing, adding early Islamic lettering styles such as Kufic to the design. Persian pottery reached its zenith in the 13th century, when a new type of clay improved durability and several dazzling new colours were introduced. Chinese influences became strong during the Mongol period, when figurative designs became commonplace.
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The earliest evidence of textiles comes from Seh Gabi in Kordestan province where 5th-millennium-BC pottery vessels have imprints of fabric wrapped around them as textile fragments.
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TEXTILES
You will see hand-printed cloth everywhere you go, mostly made in Esfahan, and used as bedspreads or tablecloths. Wooden blocks are used to apply patterns in black, red, blue, yellow and green to what are basically beige cloths. These are then washed in the river to fasten the colours. It is thought that textile printing has been practised since Sassanian times. Other parts of Iran have their own textile traditions, for example in Yazd you can buy intricately woven textiles known as termeh, with paisley patterns worked in cotton and silk.
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MODERN ART
Contemporary art in Iran is concentrated in Tehran, where a small but sophisticated community of artists produce and exhibit work in a variety of media. Their work is not always appreciated by the people in power, and several, including Tehrani artist Khosrow Hassanzadeh, have found greater acclaim internationally than at home.
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One of the best-known and loved modern Iranian artists and sculptors is Sayyed Ali Akhbar Sanati, whose work is on display in the Sanati Museum of Contemporary Art in Kerman.
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Despite the limited resources available to Iranian artists – there are few professional galleries and institutions capable of launching an artist’s career – the restrictions themselves seem to inform their aesthetic. Established modern artists include Aidin Aghdashlou, Habibollah Sadeqi and Gholamhossein Nami.
The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art has a formidable collection of international work believed to be worth more than US$2 billion, including world-famous works by Renoir, Monet, Gauguin, Van Gogh, Pissarro, Toulouse-Lautrec, Magritte, Miró, Dali, Picasso, Jackson and Warhol. At the time of writing, however, the museum was only exhibiting works by Iranian artists – all foreign works had been sent to the basement. This may change if there is a change in government. For a short list of Tehran galleries, Click here.
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To hear the varying types of Iranian music, both new and old, listen to free tracks available on www.iranian.com/music.html, www.persia.org/audio.html or www.theiranianradio.com. To buy Persian music, and make sure your money goes to the artists, check out www.cdbaby.com.
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MUSIC
Most Iranians are familiar with the big names of Western pop, thanks to satellite TV and the internet. Almost every taxi driver,